Catalysts for the production of methanol and other carbon compounds



Pastas Dec. 19,1933

, mam OA'1ALY8T8 FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ETHANOL Wilmington, allgnor, bymesneasslgnmenhtolhLduPontde Wilmingto Nemours & mm, poration of Delaware No Drawing.

application June 28, 1927,

AND CARBON GOM- SerialNo. 202,165. Divided and this mileation February 0, 1930. Serial No. 420,442

This invention relates to chemical reactions in the gaseous phase and particularly to the production of. oxygenated hydrocarbons by catalysis from gaseous mixtures; The present application 5 is a division of my copending application Serial Number 202,165, flied June 28,1927.

It is known that oxygenated hydrocarbons, and particularly methanol and its homologueamay be prepared synthetically by passing a gaseous mixture containing carbon monoxide and hydro-- gen under pressure over a catalyst. The synthesis depends upon reactions of which the following for methanol is characteristic:

In my copending application Serial No. 183,905

.I have describeda process for manufacturing oxygenated hydrocarbons and especially methanol, the process involving the use of catalysts prepared by fusing and subsequently reducing a mixture of copper oxide and manganeseoxide.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a further improvement in'the process de-- scribed in the aforementioned copending appllcation.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent as the invention is better understood by reference to the following specification in which its preferred embodiments are described.

I have discovered that improved results may be obtained in carrying out reactions in the gaseous phase in the presence of a catalyst consisting of a reduction product of a fused mixture of copper-oxide and manganese oxide, if there is incorporated in said catalyst one or more of the elements aluminum, chromium, zirconium, vanadium, titanium, thorium, silicon and cerium.

The catalysts herein described exhibit an activ- 40 ity superior to that of a catalyst consisting of fused and reduced copper oxide and manganese oxide alone; and also superior to that of any of the foregoing list of elements taken singly or in combination with each other. The term ."supe-' '46 rior activitytis used to indicate that with a given rate of gas flow the catalysts give a'higher yield of product per hour or, correspondingly, to attain a given hourly production a lower rate of gas -flow may be, maintained.

In -carrylng out the invention the prepared catalyst is disposed in a suitable receptacle adapted to withstand the pressure at which the reaction is conducted. The gaseous mixture is introduced at the proper temperature which may be regulated and maintained in any desired way.

, wise for the recovery thereof.

The catalysts are particularly well adapted for 0 catalyst may not be damaged by excessive tem- The gaseous mixture containing the producto? the reaction is withdrawn and cooled to effect, condensation of the product or is treated otherthe synthesis of methanol from gaseous mixtures containinghydrogen and carbon monoxide. This reaction may be conducted with the described catalysts at various pressures and temperatures, but I prefer to carry outthe synthesis of meas thanol at a pressure within the range of 400 to 1000 atmowheres and at a temperature of 250 to 500 C. The usefulness of the catalysts is not limited to the treatment of gaseous mixtures of any particular composition, it being possible to eifect the synthesis of methanol, for example, with the improved catalysts by introducing gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide in which the proportion of the latter is relatively low, for example, between 3 and 15%. If the gaseous mixtures contain relatively higher proportions of carbon monixide the reaction proceeds more vigorously, greater quantities of heat are evolved and corresponding provision must.be made, .therefore, for the dissipation of 30 heat so that the catalyst may not be damaged by overheating and undesirable side reactions, such as methanation, may be avoided. r The following examples will serve to indi thepreferredprocedurein'prepar s andu ing catalysts such as are described herein, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited tothe details of operation or the particular conditionsas set forth.

Emmple 1.-Prepare an' intimate mixture of seventy-five parts byweights of pure cupric oxide, twenty parts of pure-manganese dioxide and five parts ofpure magnesium oxide, The mixture is fused, allowed to cool and crushed to suitable size. The crushed material is then reduced slowly at 150. to 350 C. and at atmospheric pressure in-a current of pure hydrogen. Since the reduction process isexothermic it should be carried outslowly and with care so that the perature'; The catalyst thus prepared may be employed for the production of methanol by passing a gaseous mixture containing hydrogenand carbon monoxide in'the volume ratio of ,twenty to one at a space velocity of 100,000 to 150,000, a '106 pressure of 900atmospheres and while maintaining a temperature within the range of 250 to 400 C. The principal product is methanolgwhioh isassociated with some of its higher homologues.

The following examples indicate the preferred 110 within the scope of the invention. These may be prepared and employed in the synthesis of methanol under the same conditions as are set forth in Example 1. I

Example 2.Eighty parts of pure cupric oxide, fifteen parts of pure manganese dioxide and five parts of pure chromic oxide.

Example 3.Eighty-seven parts of pure cupric oxide, ten parts of pure manganese dioxide and three parts of pure aluminum oxide.

Example 4.-Eighty-two parts of pure cupric oxide, fifteen parts of pure manganese dioxide and three parts of pure zirconium oxide.

' Example 5.-Eighty-five parts of pure cupric oxide, ten parts of pure manganese dioxide and five parts of pure vanadium oxide.

Example 6.-Eighty-seven parts of pure cupric oxide, ten parts of pure manganese dioxide and three parts pure titanium oxide.

Example 7 .--Seventy-eight parts of pure cupric oxide, twenty parts of pure manganese dioxide and two parts of pure thorium oxide.

Example 8.-Seventy-five parts of pure cupric oxide, twenty parts of pure manganese dioxide and five parts of pure silica.

Example 9.Seventy-nine parts of pure cupric oxide, twenty parts of pure manganese dioxide and one part of pure cerium oxide.

The catalysts described may be used in the synthesis of methanol and other oxygenated hydrocarbons and for conducting other reactions in the gaseous phase in a similar manner under conditions of pressure and temperature that may vary within a ,wide range, depending upon the particular nature of the desired reaction and of the product to be prepared. A catalyst containing two or more of the elements mentioned in combination with copper and manganese can be prepared similarly by combining the oxides of these elements. Such catalysts have the desirable characteristics hereinbefore mentioned and may be utilized in effecting various reactions in the gaseous phase including the production of oxygenated hydrocarbons such as methanol.

It is to be understood that while the gaseous mixtures employed need not be limited to those containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide exclusively, the gases should, nevertheless, be freed from impurities which are likely to deleteriously affect the catalyst, and of these the compounds of sulphur are the most commonly encountered. The sulphur compounds may be removed preliminarily from the gases by suitable treatment thereof in accordance with the well understood practice. In synthesizing-methanol and the like, it is recommended that suitable precautions be taken for avoiding the presence of metals of the iron group (iron, nickel and cobalt) in the catalyst and in the gases that are to react.

I have no theory or explanation to offer for any changes which may occur in the composition of the catalysts during either their reduction or actual use. It may be that in some cases the reduction yields a lower and especially active oxide which in conjunction with the activated copper with which it is associated forms a mass peculiarly adapted for the catalytic production of oxygenated hydrocarbons. In any event, it is to be understood that the term catalyst as employed in the claims includes the contact mass in the form'in which it may occur during its use.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that by providing new catalysts of superior activity and improved physical form, decreasing catalyst 0011- proportions for preparing other catalysts included sumption and improving smoothness of operation, and by thus facilitating the production of oxygenated hydrocarbons and other desirable products of synthetic and other reactions, the present invention'represents a distinct advance in the art. While the invention has been described more particularly with reference to the synthesis of methanol, the improved catalysts and the process may be utilized with similar advantages in conducting other reactions in the gaseous phase. Y

The various details of apparatus and pro.- cedure may be modified to meet the particular conditions of the reaction, the products being recovered in any suitable or desirable way, it being possible in the synthesis of methanol, for example, at pressures above 200 atmospheres to practically completely condense methanol from the gases by coolingwith water at ordinary temperature. The methanol can be separated otherwise and other products can be treated in the manner best adapted to effect the separation thereof in an economical and satisfactory way.

Various changes maybe made in the details of operation hereinbefore described without departing from the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. The improved catalyst for reactions in the gaseous phase, comprising the reduction product of a fused mixture of copper oxide, manganese oxide and an oxide of one of the elements of the group magnesium, aluminum, and silicon.

2. The improved catalyst for reactions in the gaseous phase, comprising the reduction product of a fused mixture of copper oxide, manganese oxide and magnesium oxide.

3. The method of forming an improved catalyst for reactions in the gaseous phase, which comprises fusing a mixture of copper oxide, manganese oxide and an oxide of one of the elements of the group magnesium, aluminum, and silicon, cooling and crushing the fused mass and subjecting it to the action of a reducing agent at a temperature favorable to the reduction of thecopper oxide.

4. The method of forming an improved catalyst for reactions in the gaseous phase, which comprises fusing a mixture of copper oxide, manganese oxide and magnesium oxide, cooling and 125 crushing the fused mass and subjecting it to the action of a reducing agent at a temperature favorable to the reduction of the copper oxide.

5. An improved catalyst for reactions in the gaseous phase, comprising the reduction prod- 130 not of an intimate and substantially homogeneous mixture of copper oxide, manganese oxide, and an oxide of one of the elements of the group magnesium, aluminum, and silicon.

6. An improved catalyst for reactions in the 138 gaseous phase, comprising the reduction product of an intimate and substantially homogeneous mixture of copper oxide, manganese oxide, and magnesium oxide.

7. An improved catalyst for reactions in the 140 gaseous phase, comprising an oxide of a metal which is a member of the group consisting of magnesium, aluminum, and silicon, together with an oxide of manganese, intimately associated with copper, said catalyst being obtained by fus- 145 ing together a mixture of oxides of the aforementioned elements, and reducing the resulting mixture, suitably solidified and subdivided.

8. An improved catalyst for reactions in the gaseous phase, comprising the reduction product 150 of a fused mixture of copper oxide, manganese per oxide, manganese oxide, and' magnesium oxide and reducing the resulting mixture, suitably solidified and subdivided.

10. An improved catalyst for reactions in the gaseous phase comprising the reduction product oxide, and magnesium oxide, and obtained by reducing the solidified and subdivided mixture at a temperature between about 250-350 C.

v ALFRED' I'. LARSON.

' of a fused mixture of copper oxide, manganese III 

